Agreements for a total of 22 projects are signed at a ceremony held in Qingdao, Shandong on March 20. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A total of 22 projects were signed at a ceremony held in Qingdao, Shandong on March 20. These projects, with a total investment of 46.7 billion yuan ($6.5 billion), involve marine equipment, intelligent manufacturing, biopharmaceuticals, new energy, new materials, and more.

Huo Gaoyuan, Party secretary and chairman of Shandong Port Group (SPG), stated that in the five years since the establishment of SPG, the group has steadfastly rooted itself in Qingdao, establishing new emerging business formats in finance, trade, shipping, cruise, and cultural tourism, with 71 new companies registered and a total registered capital of nearly 17 billion yuan.

Huo added that SPG will continue to expand the functions and supporting role of the port hub, providing comprehensive and in-depth services for the economic and social development of Qingdao.

"Qingdao is the primary industrial hub for the marine group, and the main industrial sectors are now established in Qingdao," said Jiang Guodong, Party secretary of Shandong Marine Group.

Jiang expressed full confidence in the development of Qingdao. He stated that the group is accelerating the development of a modern marine industrial system in Qingdao, implementing a series of major projects and promoting the high-quality development of Shandong's marine industry.

Wang Xuchao, Party secretary of Lushang Group, spoke highly of Qingdao's vibrant business environment and huge development opportunities.

Wang said that Qingdao has always been a key area for investment and development for Lushang Group, with major business sectors having 51.6 billion yuan in investment projects in the city.

To date, over 600 central and provincial-level enterprises have taken root in Qingdao, with investments exceeding 100 billion yuan in the past three years.